The School of Performing Arts brings together students and faculty who share their passion for the arts and provides opportunities for creativity, scholarship, and real world experience.
Our dedicated faculty members are seasoned professionals who are deeply connected to the arts community. They are focused on helping students reach their dreams and aspirations and offer extensive professional expertise and networks. The department is extremely influential in the Fargo-Moorhead arts community, through active faculty involvement in professional music and theatre groups. Every year the department sponsors exceptional student performances, nationally recognized visiting artists and several community outreach events.
Our graduates enjoy rich and varied careers in theatre, music, education and arts industries. The department is a vibrant community of passionate artists who provide immersive and collaborative hands-on learning combined with one-on-one mentorship in the classroom, the studio, on stage, and on- and off-campus performance opportunities.
Students benefit from a variety of vocal and instrumental ensemble opportunities such as Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Combos, and private lessons for voice, instruments and composition. Students will grow professionally and personally through involvement in the University Theatre Series and The Straw Hat Players.
The School of Performing Arts honors tradition while embracing innovation to deliver rigorous and progressive programs that help our students realize their potential as passionate leaders in their creative work and to develop their talents into a career—and life—in the world of the arts.
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Tuesday, Sept. 19 | 9:30-11 a.m. | Fox Recital Hall Professional actor, author, and storyteller Stephen Tobolowsky will talk about acting, writing and his career Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 9:30-11 a.m., in Fox Recital Hall in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts. A question and answer session will follow the talk. Stephen Tobolowsky is one […]
Thursday, Sept. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Glasrud Auditorium Faculty members of the School of Performing Arts are presenting a Faculty Recital Thursday, September 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Glasrud Auditorium in Weld Hall. Performers are Terrie Manno, Kevin Priebe, Erynn Millard, David Ferreira, Tiana Grise, Earnest Lamb, Elise Nelson, Jenny Dufault, Stephen Sulich (Concordia […]
Sunday, Oct. 8 | 7:30-9 p.m. | MSUM Dr. Kenyon Williams, Professor of Percussion at MSUM, performed Thursday evening at the Fergus Falls “Concert in the Park” series along with members of the Varying Degrees Trio: MSUM percussion alumni Tom Christianson and Lucas Bernier. The trio received a Jade Presents grant from the Arts Partnership […]
Sunday, Aug. 27 | 3-5 p.m. | Island Park MSUM’s “Poco Fuego” steeldrum quintet, directed by Dr. Kenyon Williams, will perform this coming Sunday, August 27 at the Island Park Festival from 3-5 p.m. as a featured musical act on the performance stage in the middle of park. Come enjoy some great music from the […]
Terrie Manno (SPA) participated in the 2017 Alexander Technique Summer Intensive Course in Boulder, CO this past July. Sessions were taught by master teachers James Brody, Amy Likar, and Ed Bilanchone.